Chlorphenamine

Date: January 2019, Version 3

What is it?

Chlorphenamine (Allercalm^®, Hayleve^®, Piriton^®, Pollenase^®) is an antihistamine used to treat hay fever, skin allergies, and other allergic symptoms. It causes drowsiness and is therefore referred to as a sedating antihistamine.

Is it safe to take chlorphenamine in pregnancy?

There is no strong evidence that chlorphenamine is harmful to a baby in the womb. However, because only a small number of pregnant women taking chlorphenamine have been studied, it is not possible to say for certain that it does not affect a baby in some way. When deciding whether or not to take chlorphenamine during pregnancy your doctor will help you to weigh up how necessary chlorphenamine is to your health against the possible risks to you or your baby, some of which will depend on how many weeks pregnant you are.

What if I have already taken chlorphenamine during pregnancy?

If you have taken or are taking any medicines, it is always a good idea to let your doctor know that you are pregnant so that you can decide together whether you still need the medicines that you are on and if so, to make sure that you are taking the lowest dose that works, and only for as long as you need to.

Can taking chlorphenamine in pregnancy cause birth defects in the baby?

A baby’s body and most internal organs are formed during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. It is mainly during this time that some medicines are known to cause birth defects.

A number of studies have investigated possible links between taking chlorphenamine in the first trimester and specific birth defects. Taken together, the results do not raise alarm that birth defects are caused by use of chlorphenamine in pregnancy. However, only small numbers of women have generally been studied for each type of birth defect; the results of the studies do not all agree and some of the studies did not use the most up-to-date analysis techniques. More research is therefore needed.

Can taking chlorphenamine in pregnancy cause miscarriage?

One very small study found no link between taking chlorphenamine in early pregnancy and miscarriage. While this is reassuring, many more women ideally need to be studied to confirm this finding.

Can taking chlorphenamine in pregnancy cause stillbirth, preterm birth or my baby to be small at birth (low birth weight)?

No studies have investigated the occurrence of stillbirth, preterm birth (before 37 weeks of pregnancy), or the chance of having a low birth weight baby (<2500 g) in women who took chlorphenamine during pregnancy.

Can taking chlorphenamine in pregnancy cause learning and behavioural problems in the child?

A baby’s brain continues to develop right up until the end of pregnancy. It is therefore possible that taking certain medicines at any stage of pregnancy could have a lasting effect on a child’s learning or behaviour.

No studies have assessed learning and behaviour in children exposed in the womb to chlorphenamine.

Will my baby need extra monitoring?

Most women will be offered a scan at around 20 weeks of pregnancy to look for birth defects as part of their routine antenatal care. Taking chlorphenamine in pregnancy would not normally require extra monitoring of your baby before birth.

Taking chlorphenamine around the time of delivery can cause withdrawal symptoms in the newborn baby as a result of the baby’s body having to adapt to no longer getting chlorphenamine through the placenta. Close monitoring of your baby for a few days after birth may therefore be advised if you have taken chlorphenamine regularly in the weeks before delivery.

Are there any risks to my baby if the father has taken chlorphenamine?

No studies have specifically investigated whether chlorphenamine used by the father can harm the baby through effects on the sperm, however most experts agree that this is very unlikely. More research on the effects of drug and medicine use in men before and around the time of conception is needed.

Who can I talk to if I have questions?

If you have any questions regarding the information in this leaflet please discuss them with your health care provider. They can access more detailed medical and scientific information from www.uktis.org

How can I help to improve drug safety information for pregnant women in the future?

Our online reporting system (MyBump Portal) allows women who are currently pregnant to create a secure record of their pregnancy, collected through a series of questionnaires. You will be asked to enter information about your health, whether or not you take any medicines, your pregnancy outcome and your child's development. You can update your details at any time during pregnancy or afterwards. This information will help us better understand how medicines affect the health of pregnant women and their babies. Please visit the MyBump Portal to register.

General information
Sadly, miscarriage and birth defects can occur in any pregnancy.

Miscarriage occurs in about 1 in every 5 pregnancies, and 1 in every 40 babies are born with a birth defect. This is called the ‘background risk’ and happens whether medication is taken or not.

Most medicines cross the placenta and reach the baby. For many medications this is not a problem. However, some medicines can affect a baby’s growth and development.

If you take regular medication and are planning to conceive, you should discuss whether your medicine is safe to continue with your doctor/health care team before becoming pregnant. If you have an unplanned pregnancy while taking a medicine, you should tell your doctor as soon as possible.

If a new medicine is suggested for you during pregnancy, please make sure that the person prescribing it knows that you are pregnant. If you have any concerns about a medicine, you can check with your doctor, midwife or pharmacist.

Our Bumps information leaflets provide information about the effects of medicines in pregnancy so that you can decide, together with your healthcare provider, what is best for you and your baby.